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Japan drops humpback whale hunt Japan drops humpback whale hunt
(10 minutes later)
A controversial Japanese mission to hunt humpback whales in the Antarctic has been temporarily abandoned, a top government official says.A controversial Japanese mission to hunt humpback whales in the Antarctic has been temporarily abandoned, a top government official says.
Nobutaka Machimura said the humpback hunt - which would have been part of Japan's largest-ever whaling mission - would no longer go ahead. Nobutaka Machimura said the humpback hunt would not go ahead - although the fleet is still expected to kill about 1,000 other whales in the area.
The BBC's Chris Hogg, in Tokyo, says Japan is now unlikely to hunt the humpbacks for at least a year.
The move comes after pressure from the International Whaling Commission (IWC).The move comes after pressure from the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
The BBC's Chris Hogg, in Tokyo, says Japan is now unlikely to hunt the humpbacks for at least one year.
Japan is regularly condemned for its annual whaling missions.Japan is regularly condemned for its annual whaling missions.
But this year's Antarctic expedition was particularly controversial because the fleet intended to kill up to 50 humpbacks, in addition to the 1,000 or so other whale species it would normally hunt.But this year's Antarctic expedition was particularly controversial because the fleet intended to kill up to 50 humpbacks, in addition to the 1,000 or so other whale species it would normally hunt.
It was the first time Japan had targeted the humpbacks since a moratorium was introduced in the mid-1960s - when the species had been hunted almost to extinction.It was the first time Japan had targeted the humpbacks since a moratorium was introduced in the mid-1960s - when the species had been hunted almost to extinction.
Japan says whaling is necessary for scientific research, but other countries say the same goals could be achieved using non-lethal techniques.Japan says whaling is necessary for scientific research, but other countries say the same goals could be achieved using non-lethal techniques.
The US and Australia had been particularly critical of the humpback hunt.The US and Australia had been particularly critical of the humpback hunt.